I’ve learned a lot in these past four years of being in the crypto space. One of the main lessons is the importance of being aware of and protecting your online privacy. As we all know many of the larger tech companies don’t have a good track record when it comes to this. Your data is actually how they make their money and it’s sometimes easy for the average consumer to forget this.
Google is clearly becoming much more intrusive. I was aware that Google tracked keystrokes in their own products like Gmail and Google Docs, however I haven’t typed a single keystroke about beta-readers in either of those products. Imagine my surprise when the story above showed up in my Google newsfeed. Creepy. I think it’s time to switch to another browser.
“Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say.” ― Edward Snowden
This Week In Crypto
This past week Bitcoin continued to flirt with $12k. It made it as high as $12,071 in the last seven day cycle but then quickly retreated.
Link had another stellar week, it’s up over 76% but seems to have been resting in the past 24hrs. The DeFi sub-sector is continuing to prove that it’s the hot commodity in the crypto-sphere.
Another of my favorites, Nano, showed a very respectable 18% gain since last Saturday’s “Musing”.
This bull cycle is proving to be very different from those in the past. It’s interesting to see social media comments of the people just coming into the space. Their euphoria and excitement leaves me feeling a bit of nostalgia for the “old days” (2017).
Traditionally, late summer/autumn is when the bulls really get going and I’m hoping that’s the case this time around. However, 2020 is proving very unpredictable so we’ll have to see what it has in store.
Disclaimer: This isn’t financial advice. Don’t listen to me, I only know enough about crypto to be dangerous.
Quarantine Diaries
Yep, I posted this gif again for you, 
It took a few weeks but I found the proper contacts at the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDot) to bring the idea up to. We'll see how many weeks it takes them to get back to me. In my email I made sure to include a link to my post on NextDoor. It now has almost eighty replies from neighbors who, mostly, agree with it. I know the wheels of bureaucracy turn very slowly so I'm not holding my breath.
Streaming Suggestions
We’re well into the second and final season of Sense8 now on Netflix. I love the concept of the series but haven’t always connected with how it’s executed.
A friend of ours recently appeared in DC Comic's Stargirl. He was cast as a villain called Brainwave in the series. Chris is a great guy and is the kindest person you'll ever meet but he, ironically, usually ends up playing bad guys. There's so much work behind the scenes on this series and it was interesting to hear the details of some of it as he was filming. We were thrilled that we finally found Stargirl this week and it was fun to see him in it.
Have you found a streaming series lately that has blown you away? If so, I’m always looking for suggestions.
Mindful Moments: Perfecting The Pause - Book Update
Beta Reading
This week I’ve gotten around to posting two of the chapter drafts (Chapter 1 and Chapter 2) for my Hive beta-readers. I’d like to thank everyone who’s participated so far! I really appreciate all of the comments/feedback you’ve given. Your suggestions are making this a better book. When you’ve stared at these words literally hundreds of times like I have, fresh eyes and different perspectives are immensely valuable.
This open-source process is working better than I imagined. If you haven’t seen these posts yet and would like to contribute, please do so. I’ll be taking beta-reader suggestions even after the post voting closes.
Illustrations
The illustrator has shared her initial ideas with me and I’m very excited about the direction she’s taking. Next, she’ll be sending a few concept drawings. After approval, she’ll get started on the final drawings. I’ve known the artist for a while now and her work is stellar so I know these original drawings will add a lot to this project.
Next Steps
In the coming week I’ll be posting a few more chapters on Hive, incorporating beta-reader suggestions into the final manuscript, brainstorming on the final book cover, and continuing my search for someone (preferably someone well-known in the self-help, mindfulness realm) to write a cover quote for the book. I'm also beginning to think about some fun promotional things we can do for the launch.
Random Shots of the Week
Every seven days I log nearly fifty miles of walking with our beagle, Amstel, through our neighborhood and below are a few shots from our walks this week.
Autumn is clearly knocking on our door in this part of the country, the sun is setting about an hour and a half sooner than during the first part of summer. Most of the plants are almost done blooming and, astonishingly, some of the leaves of the maple trees are beginning to turn colors. The sunsets are amazing here in late summer.
This is the time of the year when we really begin to relish the sunshine and the warmth in the upper Midwest. We all realize that first frost can’t be too far away.
That’s all for now. I hope you all enjoy your weekends!
With Gratitude,
Eric Vance Walton
(Gifs sourced from Giphy.com, photos are original)
I am an American novelist, poet, traveler, and crypto-enthusiast. If you’ve enjoyed my work please sign up for my author newsletter at my website. Newsletter subscribers will receive exclusive updates and special offers and your information will never be sold or shared.
Alarm Clock Dawn, one of the first full length novels published on the blockchain, and the book that started it all for me can be found HERE. Or Click Here to read it for free on the Steemit blockchain
My book on meditation, The Perfect Pause, is priced at $12.99 (paperback) and $4.99 (eBook). Buy the paperback and receive the eBook for free!